Essien, making his first league start since damaging knee ligaments on international duty last September, helped Chelsea to regain second place in the Barclays Premier League with a first-half winner against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

It was his second goal in as many games after he scored against Juventus in their midweek Champions League victory in Turin.

Chelsea are now just four points behind Manchester United, who also have a game in hand, and ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.

Their victory over City was their fourth straight win under interim coach Guus Hiddink who remains unbeaten since agreeing to take charge of the side until the summer.

The Blues are already in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and face Arsenal or Hull in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Now winger Malouda believes Essien's return will provide them with added impetus as they approach an exciting finish to the season.

"He can make the difference," said Malouda.

"We are still trying to win three titles so we know that we will have a lot of games. Michael has that spirit, he has worked a lot to come back. I hope he will keep on scoring, help the strikers to score and improve our game.

"It's really important for us to see that after those months he spent working every day, to come back and be fit again is good. You can see his energy, his spirit and commitment to the team.

"He helps the game for the strikers because he keeps on running, gives good balls and yesterday he scored. He has a positive attitude and he gives a lot to the team.

"When you spend five months injured, you want to prove that the time you spent on the sidelines is not lost time. He will help all the players in the squad."

Malouda, a second-half substitute against City, also claimed that Liverpool's 4-1 demolition job on Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday has given Chelsea a massive boost.

"There is a big hope for us because of the result on Saturday," added Malouda. "That victory will give hope to the other teams that play United, because even if we win all our games we have to hope they fail and lose points."

Captain John Terry claimed Essien's successful return to first-team action was just reward for all his hard work in the gym over the last six months.

"He's been fantastic - only Michael can do that, he's an absolute machine," said Terry.

"You see him work his socks off for six months in the gym, he comes back from the injury and shows his fitness with two goals in two games. To play as well as he has done is fantastic."

Coach Hiddink was delighted with Essien's goal return and added that he will get even stronger as he gets more games under his belt.

"Its important to have him back after months out, to be in the squad and making full games because that makes him stronger," said Hiddink.

"We have seen it in some duels that he is using his strength and winning those duels. That is why it is good to play him for 90 minutes and if he can score a goal that is even better, as he has in the last two games.

"He will grow physically because you can work as hard as you want and demand it in training but the games bring this passion which we need and he needs."

Mark Hughes claimed Chelsea's strength in depth proved City were not in the same league just yet.

"Some of those on our bench at Stamford Bridge have not had a great deal of game time," said Hughes. "Kelvin Etuhu and Valeri Bojinov are coming back from injuries.

"That was a Chelsea side built over the last three or four years and that is the process we have just started. It is the same at Liverpool and Manchester United as it is at Chelsea.

"If you look at their subs' benches on Saturday lunchtime, they have a huge amount of talent at their disposal and we are not quite at that level yet and we are struggling with a few injuries in key positions.

"Against teams like Chelsea you have to be dynamic and able to drive the game but we didn't really have that in our play and, obviously, the absentees would have helped in that regard."